"You've Got (glug-glug) Mail!"
And don't forget your snorkel...

Recently, the US Navy announced it had concluded a successful test in which it successfully sent e-mail from a submarine to a naval base on the California cost, without surfacing!

Using underwater sound waves and equipment from technology contractor company Benthos, The USS Dolphin, while cruising at a depth of 130 meters transmitted e-mail messages using sound waves to relayer buoy five kilometers away. The buoy then transferred the e-mails to a naval base in San Diego.

Notably, this was the first time and moving and fully submerged submarine was able to communicate without giving away clues to its position, normal to-land communication requiring it to surface or raise an antenna.

It is not the first time that underwater e-mails had been successfully sent but the new method presented improvements in speed, range and reliability of the transmission.

Using acoustic modems blasting out sound energy, the system sent digital data in multiple forms, both text and graphics. While sound travels well in water, electromagnetic waves do not.

This system does not travel at the speed of light, barely at the speed of sound: just 2,400 bytes per second. But using sound waves rather than electrical signals, that is pretty fast.

This technology could also have implications and uses for organizations and companies doing scientific and commercial underwater exploration. But surely defence is where it will make the greatest impact.

Free software/service for tracking down stolen Laptops...
http://www.LostPC.com

LostPC software, from MSI, runs invisibly on your PC and makes regular connections to the LostPC command center Security Server via your Internet connection or via a direct telephone call. During these occasional contacts, the location of your PC is established and logged. In case your PC is ever stolen or lost, the next time it checks in, LostPC can help locate it.

Is it really Free?
The service is completely free and automatically e-mails you a 'location report' monthly which specifies your PC's last known location. If you like you can request and receive interim location reports at any time. They keep it free by being advertiser supported and your location reports will include information about other products and services which they sell.

What about Privacy?
What do you do with the information you collect?  Information collected by MSI for LostPC is kept strictly  CONFIDENTIAL.  MSI states that they will not sell, give away or disclose to the public any information gathered from a users system and your e-mail addresses are used only by MSI in the reporting process.  We hate spam as much as the next person and will not  disseminate our information to outside entities.

What Information does LostPC retrieve to find a lost PC?
LostPC collect two types of information: static identification data and dynamic location data. The identification data includes things like your Windows version and registered user name and hard disk serial number, things which do not, in general, change. For tracking the location of your PC they collect connection IP addresses and telephone numbers. If you have reported your PC as stolen, the LostPC system will instruct your computer to make a telephone call to the LostPC command

How do I get a free account?
Just download and install the free software from the web site (www.lostpc.com) using the "Install from the Web" process then register for your free account through your browser. When the software setup is complete LostPC becomes invisible on your PC. You will know it is working  when you receive the periodic e-mail messages with 'location reports' about your registered PC.

Forgotten Password?
Obviously the system has to be protected by a password or someone who takes your PC could change the LostPC account information. So follow normal good password guideline and make up a long, mixed letters and numbers password that is not guess able from your personal data. DO NOT type it into any file on your PC! LostPC.com provides a question/answer you can use to have them e-mail you a hint about your password in case you forget it.